


Lost & Found

by NaomilyClexa



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Astrid Hofferson-centric, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Hiccup ran away, Travelling the world
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 23:42:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17375405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaomilyClexa/pseuds/NaomilyClexa
Summary: When a tragedy occurs, and Astrid is broken, a mysterious man riding a Night Fury kidnaps her from her home village of Berk, and shows her what living really is about. Also, dragons. All the dragons. Another Hiccup ran away, is now a dragon rider and together with Astrid, they try to show everyone the truth about the dragons, travel the world, meet friends, and maybe fall in love





	Lost & Found

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So I've finally decided to upload this story here. I prefer ao3's format over ff, even though the httyd fandom here feels less active. This is my first-ever published httyd story, even though I've been a fan since I was little and pretended that my bike was Toothless, but since the movies are coming to a presumably bittersweet end, I needed to write some au to cope. It is heavily insipred by all the hiccup runaway stories, especially Persephone, but I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. Hope you will enjoy it, and let's go where no one (except literally every story in this fandom) goes! 
> 
> P.S. english isn't my first language and this is not beta'd, so pardon my mistakes

"Alvilda, dinner is ready!" Astrid shouted, her voice carrying through the whole village. Their house was standing on one of the higher places of the rocky village, close to the Chief's house. After their old one burnt down in the raid year ago, Stoick the Vast demanded they build this one for his finest warrior.

A little girl who couldn't be much older than four winters let out an exasperated sigh and threw her friends annoyed stare. For being so young, she was incredibly done with everything. The kids gave her a sympathetic look, and the little blonde took off towards their house. It was a tall, wooden building, with a huge nadder skull attached to the roof, decorated with smooth carvings. The blonde passed by a taller woman, standing by the door with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You were supposed to be home by sundown, little one," the female warrior commented, but there was no real fire behind her words. Instead, she helped her little sister gather the food and set it on a table. The little girl eyed the food cautiously.

"Did you... Cook this?" she questioned, picking at the smoked trout. Her older sister raised her eyebrows and gave her a cold look.

"Relax, mom did. She just told me to call you because she went off to the great Hall with dad," she frowned, "Is my cooking really that bad?" she seemed somewhat insecure, suddenly gazing at Alvilda too intently. The little girl made a face.

"Last time you did salmon, Snotlout had to be taken to Gothi. But don't worry, I like it," she smiled sweetly, "It's the effort that matters."

"Don't sass me around, little devil!" Astrid chuckled and poked her sister, who grinned and Astrid had to marvel at how cute the foul-mouthed child is. The girls started eating, when the younger sibling looked up at Astrid again.

"So, you training the pupils at Academy this weekend?" she asked innocently, and Astrid had to hide her smirk. She cleared her throat, and without looking up, shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe, maybe I will take them to the Eel Island to improve their survival tactics," she said around a mouthful of the trout, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Alvilda's face falling, folding her hands in her lap.

"Ohh," she mumbled, fiddling with her fingers. Astrid stood up, cleaned their plates and sat down with her loyal axe, taking a whetstone and working at the edges. She always taught Alvilda that the most important thing a warrior has to follow was to take proper care of their weapon, for it was an extension of themselves.

"Why, got any plans?" Astrid lubricated the axe with a bit of oil, and angled her whetstone just like Hiccup taught her all those years ago. It was Alvilda's turn to shrug.

"Dunno. Just thought that maybe..." she puffed her cheeks, "Maybe the sky fireflies were falling this weekend, so we could go to the cove and camp there, maybe you could teach me how to throw an axe again..."

Astrid grind the whetstone against the edge, dragging it down with intensity, but her mouth was twitching. After two minutes of silence, she finally put the axe next to her, stood up, and gathered her little sister in her hands, picking her up and spinning her around, "Relax, Vilda, of course I took a weekend off. I would never miss our weekend out, little Star," she ruffled her hair and settled her down again when she squealed in her arms. The girl's eyes were shining and she threw herself around astrid's neck.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" she chanted, and Astrid had to laugh.

"Calm down, you haven't even gotten your present yet," she said, and Alvilda tilted her head at her sister.  
"My present? But my birthday isn't until next Freyaday," she wondered, and Astrid bit her lip.  
"Close you eyes," she commanded, and the girl as Astrid said so, because if there was one person she would follow anywhere, it was her brave, strong sister. Astrid tiptoed to her own room, grabbed a neatly packed box, and when she returned, she tapped Alvilda's petite shoulder. The girl looked at her, "i know it's not your birthday yet, but there is supposed to be a raid tonight and I wanted you to be able to defend yourself, like every warrior should. So..." she nodded her head towards the box in her outstretched hands, and Alvilda widened her eyes. She checked it was okay to take the box, and then opened it quickly, her mouth agape when she looked inside.  
"Sissy! That's an axe!" she screamed, jumping up and down. Astrid watched her with smug expression, almost glowing as Alvilda picked the weapon up and held it in her hand.  
"It's made for you specially. Gobber and I worked on it for ages," she said, "It's balanced for you only. You need to keep it around to keep yourself safe when I' not here."  
"But you're always here," Alvilda traced the bland side of the iron, and Astrid smiled.  
"Yes, I am. But if I'm doing something else and I can't get to you, you swing it, like this," she stood behind her and guided her hands, "And boom. Dragon down!" she cheered, throwing her hands in the air and her sister did the same, giggling. They ran around the room, doing their victory laps, Alvilda laughing at her sister ridiculously poking out her chin and puffing out her chest. When they calmed down, Astrid put her hand on Alvilda's shoulder, "So remember. Whenever you feel like you're in danger. Swing, and boom."  
"Swing and boom," Alvilda nodded, and cheekily, she pulled at Astrid's long braid. The blonde shrieked, and tickled at her side, and suddenly, the two sisters were rolling around, fighting and screaming and laughing.  
** There was too much smoke in the air that night. Vikings were used to smoke. Hel, most of their lives, the Vikings of the Barbaric Archipelago were suffocating, drowning in waves of smoke and fire and fog. Even the smallest kids had to be called to put out a fire almost every night, especially during winters. Every house, every building in the village burnt down at least once in its history. But the inhabitants were stubborn and tough, and never moved out. It was an occupational hazard to live on the edge of life and death every day.  
Astrid Hofferson was the toughest of them all. At the age of 21, she was one of the best warriors in the whole of Archipelago. Every day, she slept with her axe underneath her straw pillow, dressed combat ready, shoes by the side of her bed. Every night, she kissed her little sister, Alvilda, good night and promised she won't let the dragons hurt her. Every night, she brushed her blonde curls away and said 'i will always be there to scare them off.  
This night was no different. Astrid was awoken by a roar, and the cracking of wood being set on fire. She never had to wait for the horn to sound, she was ready before half off the village even got out of bed. As quickly as a Night Fury, she slipped into her shoes, readied her axe and ran to the room next door. Her sister was still asleep, clutching her little wolf plush, curled around the blankets. Despite the shouts and explosions outside, Astrid smiled, and knelt down to brush a strand of her strawberry blonde hair away. Her little sister stirred awake, blinking her blue eyes open to find Astrid smiling at her. Astrid didn't smile at anyone. She watched her Chief with respect and stared Snotlout down. She could burn holes through the skin of most of the villagers of Berk, but her sister was a whole different story. She was the only one who was on the receiving end of her gentle expression.  
"'Strid?" the little blonde mumbled, and Astrid chuckled.  
"Yes, little star?" she asked, and the little girl's eyes widened when she heard another loud bang just outside their window.  
"Is it the dragons again?" she stammered out, looking out of her little window to see the flames coming from the house next to them. Astrid took in a deep breath.  
"It is. But you have nothing to worry about, okay? Mom and dad are out already, and we will take care of everything. You don't need to worry at all, sissy," she pinched her chubby cheeks, "So you better grab your axe, the bucket, fill it with water and help me save our village before the dummies of Berk let it burn to the ground," the older sister grinned and Alvilda chuckled, nodding, the fear escaping her completely as Astrid curled her strong arms around her and picked her up.  
The two sisters got ready, and soon, they were walking hand in hand out of their house, Astrid grasping her battle axe and Alvilda struggling with a bucket full of water, her new axe proudly strapped to her back. She walked confidently, mimicking her older sister. Hideous Zippleback was currently attacking the Smithery, and Gobber was throwing a bola at it, but missed both heads. Astrid knelt down again, and kissed her sister's cheek.  
"I need to go, okay? But remember, that no matter what happens, I will always be there to scare them off."  
The child smiled widely, and nodded as Astrid slowly stood up. Without saying another word, Astrid let out a war cry and with her axe high in the air, she joined the rest of the warriors. Alvilda watched her big sister with awe in her eyes, and when her tall figure disappeared, she trotted away to help the villages put out fires, joining Fishlegs and the children of Berk in the fire watch.  
Tonight's raid was different. Way too many dragons appeared, including some of the rarest species such as Razorwhips and Raincutters. Astrid just managed to slash one Deadly Nadder to the ground, hot blood splashing on her sweaty face when her Chief walked next to her, his cape soaked with the same scarlet liquid.  
"Haven't seen a raid like this in ages," he noted, just as he punched a Gronckle between the eyes with his war hammer, and the beast crumbled to the ground. Astrid helped few villagers out of the way and nodded.  
"And it's far from being over," she said as a Monstrous Nightmare set itself aflame and attacked the Buffersons, a family of farmers. Both warriors, the finest of them all, ran to help, slashing and smashing, Astrid picking up the children and carrying them away from the burning remains of their wooden house, "He turned up yet?" she asked the huge man, but he just shook his head.  
"If we pray to Gods, he will never come here."  
"Hey Az, need some help?" a buff short guy asked, leaning against his axe with all the confidence in the world. She rolled her eyes, and then smirked. Before the guy could say anything, she bent down and he was sent face first to the mud by the tail of a Nightmare.  
"Nope, I think I'm good, Snotlout" she grinned, and ran off to help two men secure a Zippleback. The man looked up from the ground, dirt all over his face, and just let out a moan, "Women, right?"  
She killed three dragons and captured five, which was a score worth Stoick the Vast, and Astrid lived for it. She lived for the thrill of standing off against the most dangerous beast there ever was, watching the monsters puff out smoke from their nostrils and stare at her with utter hate in their devilish eyes. She loved the triumph of knocking them down herself, and decorating her face with their blood, watching them writhe in pain. Sure, she had her weak moments. When she was little, she had some sort of admiration for them. When she watched them fly above her, floating in the air, she could even find them magnificent. But that was before the beasts killed Hiccup.  
Now, she hated them with everything she had. She fought, driven by loathing and adrenaline, running around the village and causing havoc.  
She was in the middle of a fight with a Raincutter, along with her friend Ruffnut, when she heard it. You see, Astrid could not be driven away from a fight. Once, Snotlout dared her to throw an axe at a target hundred times in a row without missing, and she didn't stop even when one of the worst storms of that winter began. She fought with the daughter of the Chieftess of Bog Burglars until they both bled and had to be brutally separated. But there was one thing that would always matter to her the most, the only thing worth giving a fight up, even if it meant losing.  
Alvilda's high-pitched scream echoed through the village.  
Astrid immediately abandoned Ruffnut to handle the beast herself, ignoring her confused shouts. She ran so fast her thighs burnt, following the sound of her sister's despair. Alvilda didn't cry often. She was confident and fearless, because her sister made her brave. So, to hear her scream so desperately for help was forcing Astrid's legs to move so fast she almost stumbled multiple times.  
And then, all she could do was watch.  
She was far too away, and far too late when it happened. Everything around her was happening so fast, but all she could focus on was her little sister's fragile figure in the middle of the flames, backing away from a dragon. Astrid will never forget the utter terror on her face, her eyes desperately looking for Astrid to help her. She will have that vision of Alvilda burned into her vision forever.  
When she was close enough, all she could see was a huge Razorwhip pulling out its sharp tail out of her little chest, a blue Nadder jumping at it and knocking it away. Astrid screamed, screamed so loud her throat burnt and threw her axe at the dragon. The beast noticed her, and avoided being hit, then flew off like nothing happened. Astrid didn't care. She sprinted for her little sister, and when she was just steps away from her, she fell down to her.  
"Alvilda! Alvilda!" she exclaimed, immediately pressing her bloodied fingers against her sister's pulse point. But she couldn't feel anything under the firm pressure of her hand. Her sister's pierced chest was terrifyingly still, but she was still hot in her hands when Astrid took her into her lap, urgently pressing against her chest just like Gothi shoved her, "It's going to be alright, little Star, I won't let them take you away from me," she got out of her tight throat, the words wet and heavy in her own ears. She growled at the annoying tears rushing to her burning eyes, took off her hood, and wrapped it around the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. When she pressed her other arm around the back of her sister and could feel the blood flooding there too, she should have known. She should have admitted that it was over. But Astrid was stubborn and persistent and tough and she was not letting the sun of her life bleed out in her arms.  
"It's going to be alright," she kept muttering, her hands shaking. She took a moment to look at her face while her hands worked on her chest. She was so beautiful. Astrid always admired her gorgeous blue eyes, and the shade of her hair that reminded her of the sunset in summer. Her eyes were open now, too, but they were staring somewhere behind Astrid, lacking that little sparkle, that glimmer that made Astrid feel warm and proud. Instead, they were cold, just as the night around them, ignoring Astrid's presence.  
"Look, little one," she cried out, her lips trembling, ignoring the fight around them. Ashes were landing on the two sisters, but she didn't care, she kept cradling her body close. She was wearing the tunic Astrid bought her for her 4th birthday last August. Her 5th one was approaching fast. The nose, the same nose Astrid saw in the reflection of her axe every day, was scrunched up, blood already drying on her lips, "It's okay. I'm here, just like I promised. You just need to -" she hiccupped, wiping at her face and smudging blood and dirt and ash everywhere, "You just need to fight. You need to fight for me. Please," she let out, her lips trembling, but her sister remained still. She grabbed her limp hand and curled their fingers together, "We're Hoffersons. We don't give up. Wake up. Don't leave me here all alone."  
A small axe was next to her right hand, lying on the ground, minimal amount of blood decorating its edge. Astrid picked it up, and curled her sister's fingers around it, "You need to see the fireflies in the sky, little Star. It's starting in two days," she coughed, and couldn't stop the tears anymore, rocking with Alvilda's body in her arms, hiding her face in her beautiful hair.  
She felt someone coming to them, "Get the fuck away from us!" she snapped, staring daggers at Fishlegs. The big man watched her with sympathy and hurt, and she pulled her sister closer, "Please, leave us alone."  
Nobody heard Astrid beg, ever. She hardly ever showed any emotion other than anger, determination or annoyance. So, the boy walked away, trying to look away from the couple curled on the ground. Astrid was sniffling her sister's hair. She could smell some of her very own scent, the baby scent that still persisted, but the odour of iron and blood and smoke was much stronger, and she felt like throwing up. Everything inside her was twisting. She wasn't burning, like the village around them, she was incredibly cold and shaking, and her sister's body heat weas leaving her.  
A loud piercing pitch could be heard, and many people shouted "He's here!" But Astrid just held her sister, and sang her favourite lullaby. Nothing made sense when Alvilda's soft puffs of breath couldn't be felt against her cheek, when she didn't smile and curl into her chest. A Monstrous Nightmare landed in front of her, ready to attack, but she didn't reach out for her axe. If she was to die, she had to go with Alvilda. She couldn't let her go face the Gods in Valhalla all by herself.  
She smiled at Alvilda and kissed her hair, bracing herself for the certain death, when a Nadder squeak echoed and a blue figure was in front of her. The two dragons fought, and then, the high-pitched sound was way too close, and a black, sleek dragon landed in front of the two and the Nadder, who managed to scare the Razorwhip away. She didn't do anything as someone jumped off of it, and walked towards her. She could hear people scream, and then, someone was lifting them both up. Maybe it was the Valkyries. Maybe it was just a hallucination before the endless darkness would devour her. All that mattered was that Alvilda was in her arms, sleeping peacefully.  
She could feel strong arms around them, and when she looked up, her vision blurred and her sticky lips parted, she could make out a black mask, and pair of two green eyes staring at her intently. She avoided them, and instead, leaned her head back and watched the stars. They were shining bright tonight; the moon being hidden in the Valhalla. Burning ashes were floating around her like specks of dust in the sunlight, and she reached out her hand to touch it. Her hand was too weak, and her eyes were closing, eyelids suddenly too heavy. So she smiled at the sparkling sky, and just as one star fell, she held Alvilda tighter.  
"I've got you," The mask whispered in a manly, nasal voice that she somehow knew, and she kissed Alvilda.  
"I've got her," she muttered, and finally, everything felt distant, far too away. And then, she was reaching for the stars, ready to enter the clouds, wondering if she will be able to walk on them, and if the gates of Valhalla were really golden. She felt safe as she floated around, gliding in the skies. Everything was right, and she couldn't possibly hear the urgent screams of "He got her, the dragon rider got her!" beneath them. She rested her head against something firm and moving, and let the darkness take her away from the pains of the living world.  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! the first few chapters are already written, so expect an update soon. Any sort of feedback is appreciated!


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